


Tell me the truth

by Cinder7storm4



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Dead Claudia Stilinski, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Family Feels, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Isaac Lahey's Past Abuse, M/M, Magic, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Neglected Stiles Stilinski, Pack Dynamics, Scott McCall & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Sheriff Stilinski & Stiles Stilinski Feels, Sheriff Stilinski Feels, Sheriff Stilinski's Name is John, Stiles Stilinski Has Issues, Stiles Stilinski Has Self-Esteem Issues, Stilinski Family Feels, mentions of abuse, pack as parents, working through trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-07-25 22:34:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20033443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cinder7storm4/pseuds/Cinder7storm4
Summary: Leia Stilinski-Hale won't look at her grandfather. She thinks she might even hate him.Stiles doesn't know what is going on with his daughter, but once Jackson gets Leia to open up Stiles and his Dad are forced to open some old wounds that the former Sheriff didn't even know he'd caused.





	1. Leia's Secret

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Teen Wolf

John didn’t know what was going on. This was the third time that day that Leia had slipped away from him, whether it was for a hug or just a conversation. He tracked his granddaughter as she made her way over to her cousin, Adam, the older werewolf reaching out to pull her into a side hug as he kept up a conversation with Lydia. The banshee’s eyes skipped over Leia to find John’s briefly, shrugging almost imperceptibly then returning to her discussion with her godson. 

They’d all noticed. It wasn’t like Leia was hiding it, but she wasn’t talking about it either. Both of her dads had tried to get her to open up, Stiles equal parts confused and worried while Derek had actually tried to command his daughter to be honest with him to which she’d quirked an eyebrow and left the room, unimpressed. 

Stiles came up behind his dad, passing the retired Sheriff a veggie burger and a beer. 

John didn’t even complain, he just leaned into his son a bit. “I don’t know what’s going on with her, Pops. I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault, kiddo. I’ll figure it out.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Stiles corrected him, bumping their shoulders together.

Leia was tucked into Adam’s side, deliberately not acknowledging her favourite banshee shooting a glance at her grandfather. She wasn’t being subtle. She couldn’t be subtle, not about this. 

Adam didn’t know what was up with his cousin, but he kept his arm around her. She’d been off since they’d fought a witch about three weeks ago, but she insisted she was fine and even when backed into a corner her story hadn’t changed. Melissa had checked her over three times, and Leia had drawn the line at a fourth check-up when she told them that, at most, she had a headache. 

Derek was worried about Leia, but she was keeping things to herself. Sometimes she was so much like Stiles that it frustrated him, but he also loved her for it. He’d seen her duck away from John, again.

It wasn’t happening to anyone else. Leia wasn’t avoiding any other member of the pack; he and Stiles had tried everything. He was a little ashamed that he’d attempted to use his Alpha eyes on his pup of all people. It hadn’t worked though, and honestly, he wasn’t even surprised; they didn’t work on Stiles either. 

He’d been collecting clues though. Obviously, being married to the current Sheriff of Beacon Hills with the former Sheriff as his father-in-law had more of an impact on him than he’d ever anticipated. He’d caught whiffs of grief, anger, and… something else. He hadn’t told Stiles yet about his observations though because he also smelled tints of hatred. He didn’t know what to make of it all. She wasn’t having nightmares. She wasn’t possessed or under a spell. But somehow his daughter had developed a… hatred for her grandfather. He had no idea what was going on. 

It continued though and as the weeks went by the entire pack, especially the werewolves were picking up on the youngest member of the pack’s unease. 

Even Jackson had tried to talk to her. 

The two of them had a surprisingly close bond, so when Jackson had knocked on her door, Leia hadn’t immediately glared him out of the room. 

“Hey Lia,” murmured Jackson, moving into her room, settling on ground next to her where she was reading something, “What’re you reading?” 

“Something from Dad,” she replied, closing the book. It actually looked more like a journal now that Jackson took a closer look, but she tucked it under her pillow before he could ask anything else. “What’s up?”

“I think you know… and I think you’re the only who actually knows what’s going on.”

Leia was quiet. 

“You know whenever a Stilinski goes quiet it gets my wolf anxious,” he told her after about ten minutes.

“What do you remember about Dad and John when he was younger?” Jackson tried not to wince at her usage of her grandfather’s name rather than any of the nicknames she used to have for him. 

“Can you point me toward a particular direction?” Jackson asked, after a brief pause. 

“After… after grandma Claudia died…”

Jackson thought, taking her question seriously. He’d been friends with Stiles before Claudia’s illness, but afterward Stiles kept avoiding him. He pictured little ten-year-old Stiles shooting out of his seat at the last bell, tearing home. Back then he’d thought that Stiles didn’t want to hang out with him anymore so he’d pushed back, isolating the boy. Now though, he wondered why Stiles had always been concerned about getting home. 

After the split in their friendship, Jackson had only run into Stiles at the grocery store… his eyebrows came together in a frown. Come to think of it he’d run into Stiles multiple times at the store or the pharmacy when Mrs. Whittemore had forced him into accompanying her on errands in an effort to appear like a normal, domestic family that was still better than everyone else.  
“He used to do grocery runs for the Sheriff, didn’t he? After Claudia?”

Leia nodded, face tight, teeth gritted. 

“But he does that for the pack, Lia…”

“He was ten, Jax! And why do you think he takes care of u? because he’s been doing it his entire life!” there was a growl in Leia’s tone that caused Jackson’s wolf to flash its eyes in response. 

“Lia, Lia, breathe,” the youngest Stilinski-Hale was breathing too quickly and he didn’t want to see her to fall into a panic attack. He pulled her into a hug that she didn’t fight. He ran his hands through her hair in a soothing motion that helped calm her down. Once she was calmer Jackson opened his mouth then closed it.

“What Jax?” she asked, her head still tucked into neck, safe. 

“So, he took on some more responsibility when he was young, but Lia…”

“That’s not all of it,” she whispered, “That’s so far from all of it, Jax. It got so much worse,” her voice was quiet, so quiet if he hadn’t been a werewolf he wouldn’t have heard it. 

“Lia,” he needed to look at her, so he pulled her gently away from where she was hiding in his hug, “What do you mean?”

Leia bit her lip and she wouldn’t meet his eyes. “Leia,” he put just enough sternness in his voice to prompt her to talk to him, “How do you know this?”

Leia swallowed and then bit her lip. “The witch… when she kidnapped me she uh cast a spell… a time travel one… I ended up with Dad just after grandma Claudia’s death. Just after, Jax. No one but Dad could see me.”

“Leia,”

“It was real! I used a spell Dad taught me,” she was frustrated and anxious now, “That’s… that’s where I got the journal,” she whispered, “I just can’t look at him, Jax. I can’t.”

Jackson didn’t know what to do. He knew he needed to talk to Stiles, and maybe Derek. His Alpha definitely needed to be looped in and he didn’t feel comfortable pushing Leia to reveal more of whatever trauma John had supposedly put Stiles through. “Lia, you know I’m going to have to talk to your Dad, right?”

“He’s going to be angry with me,” there was the tinge of a whimper in Leia’s voice that made Jackson’s heart break a bit.

“He loves you.”

Leia stayed quiet, but extricated herself from Jackson to go over to her window seat. 

“He protected him for years, Jax. I think he loves him more.”

Jackson didn’t know what to say, so he left Leia alone, pulling out his phone.

“Hey Sti, you’re off shift soon right? Could we talk?”


	2. Scotty, it wasn’t…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jackson confronts Stiles about his dad. Scott's there and then Derek arrives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Teen Wolf

“What’d Jackson want?” Scott asked as he swung himself into the passenger side of the Jeep. 

“He didn’t say much…” Stiles replied as he set off for the house, “But he sounded off.”

“It’s Jackson, his whole world is off kilter if he isn’t the center of attention,” Scott responded to which Stiles scoffed. 

“He hasn’t been like that in years, Scotty. Plus, if anything is off center it’s your jaw.”

Scott squawked in indignation, but soon after his laughter filled the car. Stiles laughed along with his friend, navigating the roads that were second nature to him by now, and hoping against hope that Jackson had some sort of lead on what was going on with his daughter. 

X—X

Jackson hadn’t anticipated Scott’s inclusion in this discussion, especially before he clued in Derek, but it made sense too. Scott would have to know something, right? He was Stiles’ brother in all but blood (and even then, with John and Melissa married now… Jackson was getting sidetracked). 

“What’s going on, dude?” Stiles perched on his desk in the office of the house, watching Scott and Jackson interact as the former entered the room.

“It’s serious,” Scott said, closing the door behind him, sealing the soundproofing. 

Stiles let his grin fall off his face. Scott’s nose twitched at the scents of anxiety and anger pouring off of his packmate. 

“It’s about Leia,” murmured Jackson.

“She talked to you?” Stiles was ecstatic; finally, some progress. But Jackson wasn’t making eye contact with him and Scott had actually gone over to his fellow beta to offer the man a one-armed hug of reassurance.   
“What the hell is going on with my kid, Jax?” Stiles’ voice was firm now, bordering on dangerous, “What did she tell you?”

“She… Will you answer a question first?”

Stiles’ eyes narrowed, but he hummed in agreement, impatient, but seeing that this was difficult for Jackson he’d do his best to accommodate his packmate. 

“When did it stop?” Those weren’t the words Jackson intended to say, but they caught Scott and Stiles’ attention.

“What? Jax, you’re not making any sense…”

“When did things get better with you and John?”

“What are you talking about?” Stiles tried to bluff his way out of the question, but Jackson wouldn’t have it.

“When did he stop hurting you?” Jackson growled. 

Stiles froze at Jackson’s words, while Scott let out a low whine, but when Jackson turned to look at the beta he saw that the whine was aimed in Stiles’ direction.

“You said it only happened once!” Scott’s voice was desperate, “Stiles… tell me it didn’t… please.” He went over to his brother who had slid off the desk and was standing now, panic evident in every harsh breath he took.

“Don’t deny it. Please, she implied a lot but she didn’t tell me anything…”

“How?” The sound that came out of Stiles’ throat was more of a croak than it was an actual word.

“When the witch had her a few months back she was sent back in time,” Jackson was looking everywhere but at Stiles because the cocktail of fear, heavy and unadulterated, and panic wafting from his packmate was enough to make his head spin. 

“Stiles?” The question in Scott’s voice was clear, if a little frustrated, “Stiles, you promised me…”

“What was I supposed to do Scott? She was dead! And I… I”

Scott pulled Stiles into a tight hug. “You promised me, though. You never break promises,” he murmured while he held his best friend’s shaking body close. 

“You knew?” Jackson asked, unable to keep himself from posing the question.

“I heard it, once,” Scott told his fellow beta, attention and focus still on Stiles, “It was loud. And wrong, everything he said was wrong,” Scott crouched now so that Stiles wouldn’t have to look up at him, “You remember that right? He was wrong, Stiles. So wrong.”

“But you never did anything?” Jackson growled.

“I was ten and dumb, Whittemore!” hissed Scott, turning to flash his glowing eyes at his packmate, “I should have known better than to believe you, Stiles.”

At those words, Stiles seemed to fold up into himself and Scott cursed under his breath, “I didn’t mean it like that, bro” he tugged gently on Stiles’ hands to bring his brother down to sit with him, bundling Stiles in hug, with Scott at his back, “I believe you, always. You always deserve to be believed. I just should have listened harder to what you weren’t saying.”

“Was it like with Isaac?” Jackson had to know, the not knowing was killing him.

Stiles shook his head violently “No, no, it didn’t, he didn’t…”

“Just because he didn’t lay a hand on you doesn’t mean he didn’t abuse you, Stiles.” Scott’s voice was calm and firm, “Once, I wasn’t going to forget about it, but Stiles… this is about more than a one-time thing, obviously.” 

“Scotty, it wasn’t…”

“Don’t Sti, please; have a little respect for us,” Jackson came to kneel in front of his packmate, one of the most formidable people he knew who he currently hardly recognized. “What happened, Sti?”

Stiles shook his head, fighting uselessly against Scott’s embrace, tears falling now. He didn’t want this to continue. He was over it. He had to be. He wasn’t supposed to be like this anymore. He wasn’t supposed to be weak, useless, or too emotional. He wasn’t… He wasn’t… He wasn’t supposed to be, she was supposed to be here, not him. Her. 

“Get Der…” before Scott could finish ordering Jackson, the door to office was open and Derek was there, taking in the scene he went straight to Stiles, Jackson closing the door behind his Alpha and locking it. He opened up his phone text the pack group chat that they needed the house for a bit, not to worry, but not to come by. 

It took him a few minutes to get his shaking fingers under control and for his vision to stop blurring with unshed tears.


	3. Protect Stiles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott explains what he overheard when they were ten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Teen Wolf.

Derek had never in his life felt this amount of fear radiate from Stiles who was shaking and muttering on the ground in the office, seemingly unaware of what was going on around him. The Alpha had tried, upon his initial entry into the room, to draw his husband close for comfort but Stiles had shrunk back from him, his fear scent intensifying so much that Derek had felt his stomach turn. 

“What the hell is going on?” he growled at Scott, the closest beta who was looking at Stiles like his entire world had come crashing down. Scott didn’t even look at him. “Scott,” some of his authority bled into his tone and his beta wrenched his gaze from his brother to his Alpha.

“I didn’t… I didn’t know it was this bad, I swear, Derek.”

“Scott…”

“It was John,” Jackson’s voice shook as he spoke, but he was determined to make his Alpha understand the severity of the situation, even though Stiles’ current state was definitely doing that too. He didn’t want to leave any room for doubt in Derek’s mind.

Derek froze, confused. “What… what do you mean it was John? John did what?” The wolf was truly at a loss.

“That,” Jackson pointed at the shivering and sobbing mess that was Stiles, although mercifully he was still allowing Scott near him, so the beta was trying to calm his friend down. 

Derek didn’t understand. 

“I don’t…”

“Look, I don’t understand fully yet either, but we need him to calm down before we talk anymore,” Jackson’s voice sounded raw to Derek’s ears and the Alpha nodded, crouching down next to his husband but not touching him, he’d learned already. 

“Stiles? Stiles? Can you breathe with me? Or with Scott?” Scott tentatively brought his brother’s hand to his heart, “Can you feel his heartbeat?” But Stiles pulled back his hand, pulling his arms into the parody of a hug around himself as he focused at a spot on the carpet in front of him. 

His muttering began to sound in the ears of the wolves again.

“Not again. Not again. Be stronger. Better. Stop it. Stop it. Not weak. Not weak. Strong. Because it’s your fault, your fault. All of it.” 

While the words distressed the men surrounding him, Stiles’ sobs stopped and eventually after a few minutes, so did the shivering and the shaking. Although the muttering didn’t fully cease. 

Suddenly, Stiles shook his head, almost violently, and out of instinct, Derek cupped the back of his husband’s head to prevent him from hitting the desk behind him and Stiles’ eyes snapped up, finally recognizing his husband’s presence. His eyes flicked from Derek to Scott then they lit upon Jackson, a question dying on his lips as his mind caught up to what had happened.

“Fuck” he hissed, trying to move away from Derek’s gentle hands on his head but unable to do so due to Scott.

“Stiles… what…?” Derek didn’t know what to do or say, he wanted to tug his mate into his arms to keep him safe, but he also needed to know what the hell was going on. 

“You promised me,” Scott’s voice was louder than Derek’s, almost drowning it out, and it was the one that made Stiles bite his lip then turn slightly.

“Scott, I”

“You promised!” Scott’s voice was higher, but not raised in anger, instead it came out like a whine of desperation. “Why?”

“He’s all I had…”

“Bullshit, you had me, you had mom, you had Jackson back then too!”

“You didn’t need me like he did!” Stiles shot back, then he slumped back, his earlier fit seemingly having exhausted him, “I owed him.”

“For what?” That was Jackson, “What could a ten-year-old possibly owe their father?”

“Everything.”

“Sti…” there was a hint of growl in Jackson’s voice.

“I owed him for her okay! Because she died and then he was stuck with me!”

All three wolves went quiet.

“You don’t understand,” murmured Stiles.

“No, no we don’t, because you’re wrong,” Derek’s voice was firm, it brooked no argument, then it cracked, “Who the hell told you that, Stiles? What did he do to you?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing you didn’t deserve, you mean,” Jackson sneered, anger at John bleeding through into his words, “He hurt you, Sti!”

“He didn’t…”

“So, he didn’t lock you in a freezer and that makes him father of the year?! Look at yourself, this isn’t nothing?!” Jackson was angry, his shift bleeding through.

“Jackson!” Derek’s growl brought him back to the moment and the beta shifted down immediately, looking at Stiles, whose eyes were glassy with tears again.

“I… I did though,” Stiles was trying to wrap his mouth around words that hadn’t yet formed in his mind. Derek moved as close to his mate as he could without touching him, still unsure of how welcome touch would be, but his proximity brought Stiles’ attention to him, finally and what the Alpha saw just about broke his heart. Stiles looked so lost and so scared. 

“Mischief,” Derek’s voice was so soft, it was meant only for his mate, “We need to know what happened. Please?”

“Der, I… it was…”

“Don’t, please, don’t lie; we’re not angry with you, love. I promise.” Derek was desperate to understand.

Stiles wanted to hide his face; he wanted to disappear, but Scott’s voice redirected everyone’s attention.

“When we were ten, I left my extra inhaler at Stiles’ and my mom was on night shift, so I went back in the middle of the night. I went in through the back door and heard John… yelling, at Stiles. He had obviously been drinking, there was an almost empty bottle of Jack Daniels on the table, and I crept in to see what was going on…” he drew in a deep breath, “He… he had Stiles backed into a wall as he yelled about …” Scott felt his words sour in his mouth but he needed to get it all out now, “he was blaming Stiles for his mom’s death, for leaving him stuck with,” his voice dropped away.

“The hyperactive little bastard destroying his life” Stiles interjected.

Scott gritted his teeth, “John was drunk. I didn’t see him lay a hand on Stiles, but there was a broken glass…”

“He knocked it off the table,” Stiles told them, eyes on the ground. 

“The next day, I asked Stiles about it…”

“I told him it had never happened before… I promised… I promised I would tell him if that exact thing ever happened again.”

“That’s how you got around it, you didn’t really lie” Scott exclaimed quietly, “because that exact situation, moment by moment never unfolded again.” He shook his head in sadness at how well his friend was able to play him.

“Scott, it’s not your fault.”

“It’s not yours either, bro.”

Stiles kept his lips together in a thin line. 

“He’s right, love,” Derek moved his hand slowly, resting it on the back of his mate’s neck and he let out aa silent sigh of relief as Stiles relaxed against him. 

“I just wanted to protect him,” Stiles murmured, closing his eyes.

“I know, love. But now we need to protect you,” Derek whispered, pressing a soft kiss to his husband’s hair. His eyes red and blazing as they met the gold and blue eyes of his two betas. They had a mission to accomplish now. Protect Stiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I've expanded this to 6 chapters because I'm still sorting out how I want this to end. I love the Sheriff, but I also think that Stiles' caretaker role would have serious consequences, especially now that Stiles is also a dad.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Leia, what are you talking about? Leia…”
> 
> “Shut up!” Leia roared in anger “Stop saying my name! Stop looking at me! Stop trying to care for me when you never cared for him.”
> 
> John’s worry was etched into his face and Leia could see him trying to plan his next move, but as he stupidly stepped forward again his plans were rendered moot because her dads had arrived, flanked by Scott and Jax.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Teen Wolf.

Leia was talking to Claudia. She did it more often now than ever before because she hadn’t known who to turn to with the turmoil raging deep inside her. Except, Jackson knew now, which meant her dads and probably Scott would follow soon after. She had no more reason to visit Claudia; the dead woman no longer had to keep her secrets.

Still, Leia craved her company and her silent companionship. The dusk air was cool on her skin, the sun just fading now, and she was huddled up next to Claudia’s grave as usual. 

“I told Jax today. I… I regret it in a way, but I also don’t. Papa needed to know. He needs to protect Dad, because I can’t,” Leia’s voice broke off and wavered “I can’t protect him. All I can do is hate and even that’s not protection, because I don’t want to hate sometimes!” She sunk her fingers into the dirt, digging deep as if in search of an anchor. “I hate him!” she hissed violently, pulling her hand from the dirt and wrapping it around her knees to pull them close to her body. 

She’s so deep in her own thoughts that she doesn’t register him approaching until it’s too late.

John. She refuses to call him Grandpa anymore. John crouches down in front of her, concern evident on his face. He reached out to her, taking a chance, but she pushes off the ground, rising to her feet unsteadily but it puts some distance between them. “Kiddo, what the hell is going on?” he asks, voice still warm and if she didn’t know better she’d be lulled by the protection and love he appears to offer. But she does know. 

In response she laughs, but it comes out strangled, a dying sound without joy or mirth attached. “That’s the worst part about this,” she snarls and while she may not be a werewolf like her papa she is fiercely protective of pack “you don’t even remember it! You don’t even remember ruining his life!” Her voice is loud, but there’s little point in keeping quiet in a graveyard because all of its occupants are dead. 

“Leia, what are you talking about? Leia…”

“Shut up!” Leia roared in anger “Stop saying my name! Stop looking at me! Stop trying to care for me when you never cared for him.”

John’s worry was etched into his face and Leia could see him trying to plan his next move, but as he stupidly stepped forward again his plans were rendered moot because her dads had arrived, flanked by Scott and Jax. 

“Get away from her, John!” That was Derek, his voice colder than John had ever heard it, drawing his attention away from his granddaughter for a moment, eyes landing on “Stiles, are you alright?” He went to move toward his son now, but suddenly Scott was there, blocking him. 

Stiles looked away from his father, his eyes focused on his daughter who was also ignoring her grandfather now. Stiles could hear Scott and Derek arguing with his dad, with the Sheriff, but he couldn’t think about that now. Leia was his priority. 

She was standing in front of his mother’s grave, shivering slightly and he was grateful he’d had the foresight to bring his old red hoodie. When he reached her, he extended it to her slowly, making sure not to touch her until she invited it. She took the hoodie and slid it on, burrowing into it for warmth that she hadn’t realized she’d been missing, but she couldn’t bring herself to look up at her dad. She was afraid of what she might see in his eyes. 

“Princess, look at me, please” her dad’s voice was soft, not like John’s though. Her dad’s voice was almost tentative, so she looked up and her eyes immediately filled with tears.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, leaning forward but unable to bring herself to step into the circle of protection his arms offered so he stepped forward and brought the love to her.

“You didn’t just see it, did you? That spell, you shared my mind, you felt it all, didn’t you?” his voice was thick with emotion as she cocooned herself in his arms, and while she didn’t speak, he felt her nod. “I love you, Leia. I love you so much. I’ll always protect you” he told her “He’s leaving. Papa’s cutting him out of the pack, but Mel’s staying here, she can’t, she won’t leave us.” Leia could only cry. He didn’t hate her. John was leaving. Her dad was safe. It was over. The truth was out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided that this version of John doesn't deserve the closure of talking to Stiles.


End file.
